Pre-Election Campaign for Religious Unity

The Tekuma party is pushing for religious-Zionist unity in advance of the next elections. “The public wants unity.”

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Maayana Miskin, 16/02/12 13:59

Ketzaleh and Hershkowitz in Binyamin

Israel news photo: PR

The Tekuma party has begun a campaign to quickly reach religious-Zionist unity on the political scene. “The time has come to put things on the table and to stop playing games,” declared party secretary Nachi Eyal.

“The religious-Zionist public demands unity,” Eyal said, adding, “Every moment that we hesitate means votes lost to other parties, parties that make no commitments to the religious community.”

The two current religious-Zionist factions - Ichud Leumi (National Union) and Mafdal (National Religious Party) – have been in talks regarding the creation of a shared list for some time. According to Tekuma, the talks are not moving quickly enough.

The party sent an email Thursday to tens of thousands of activists. “Newpaper headlines inform us of the preparations made by various parties [in advance of elections],” the email read. “Only in the religious Zionist court does it seem that time is not a factor.”

A unified religious-Zionist party could be “large and strong, appealing to new sectors of the public,” the email continued.

Eyal called on those involved in unity negotiations to sit and talk “until an agreement is signed that will unify and strengthen religious Zionism.”